cellar cleaning, Christmas decor, & getting some projects done

When you’ve been quiet on a blog for awhile, it’s kinda hard to break the silence. Truth is, I find hundreds of little things to record here but often struggle with how to start or finding the time to sit and write. Like I need to be witty or terribly profound or have some ground-breaking, better-than-sliced bread new idea, instead of just being me.I’ve just come up from the cellar, cleaning a spot to turn into my furniture re-hab base of operations. The porch gets mighty cold in the winter and painting 7 chairs or a large dresser in our study can not be the long-term solution. The cleaning isn’t fun. It involved a dead bat, a half-dead lizard with a partial tail, and some really big spiders. Really big. Think 150 year old house, stone foundation, and consider that the last 20 years no one’s cleaned much down there. I’d dare say, ain’t nobody cleaned nothin’ for quite some time!I need to find a happy place, so here I am.These last few weeks have been a blessing. The last two years have had a lot of change and some big ups and downs for us. I’m trying to purposefully plan our time and not over schedule things. I’m trying to pour more into my family instead of giving them the leftovers. We’re blessed now with a home of our own after renting for almost 4 years. Life is feeling “normal” again and I enjoy the nesting and putting down roots. I’ve returned to a fly-lady routine and feel some serious de-cluttering and organizing episodes coming on! Maybe some rooms will get painted this winter.

We’ve taken the time to decorate the house–not over the top, but simple farmhouse charm that makes the everyday a little bit special–tackle some projects, dream big dreams and just rest in each other’s presence.

From that de-cluttering urge that is bubbling up inside me, I surprised myself with a spur of the moment good cleaning, purging, and re-setting of my bedroom. It still had that “wherever the guys dropped it, just moved in” look. I’m trying to work out what to do with that window behind the bed. There just isn’t any other place to put this barge of a sleigh bed so I need to think of a creative way to make that window work there. And of course, there will be the wallpaper to address and the trim to paint and the floors to refinish. Still, it’s feeling a lot more like home and a lot less like I’m visiting someone. I’m falling in love with this house.

I’ve been more purposeful to make some things this Christmas instead of always putting it off. And inviting others over to make things with us. I’ve had my introduction to German glass glitter and hope to put out a tutorial on the particulars next week. And I’m finally going to try stamping some silver that I talked about here! Can’t wait to see the results!